Improvement in folding cribs



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

fVVILLLMW G.'REED, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

`||v|PRo\v/EMENT ,IN FOLDING cimes.

. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,155: dated December 11, 1877; application led i .September l0, 1877.v

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM GARRIsoN REED, of Boston, in thecounty of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Gribs 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebein g had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, whichl form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in `folding cribs, for the purpose of being able to fold it together within the height occupied by thebody-frame when the crib is not required for use. When so folded together, the bedding may all be inclosed and retained within the crib, so that it is ready for use at any desired time. The object of making the crib in such a manner as to be folded together within v the height occupied by the body-frame is for the purpose of allowing the crib, when folded, to go under any ordinary bedstead, and thus be out of the way when not required for use. It is also very desirable to fold a crib in so small a compass for transportation purposes or otherwise.

My invention is constructed as follows: The body-frame is made in the usual manner, and provided with a solid orslat bottom, as may be desired. The head and foot boards are hinged tothe ends of the body-frame, so as to fold over the latter and inclosing and covering the beddingl within the body-frame.

The sides of the crib are each made in two parts, solid or open work, as may be desired, hinged together, and the lower edge of each side piece is hinged to the upper edge of the sides of the body -frame, by which arrangement each side can beI folded upon itself, and afterward folded outside of the body-frame, so'as to not occupy more than the height of the body-frame when so-folded together.

Suitable looks or fastenings are used to connect the sides and ends together, so as to hold them in their proper relative position when the crib is in use.

In combination with the aboveI use folding legs or supports, preferably hinged to the outer ends of the body-frame, although they may as well be hinged to the inside of the said end pieces, or to the inside or outside of the side pieces of the body-frame, in which latter case I prefer to make each side piece in one piece, hinged to the body-frame, so as to fold inward, and the foot and head boards each made in two parts, hinged together and to the bodyframe, so as to fold outward in a similar manner to the present side pieces. Suitable locks or fastenin gs are used to hold the legs or sup ports in an upright position when the crib is in use, and to hold them in a horizontal (or nearly so) position when foldedtogether, as will now be more fully shown and described.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure, l represents a perspective outside view of the crib when ready for use. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the crib when folded together, and Fig. 3 represents a cross-section of the crib when folded together.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on'the dierent parts of the drawin gs.

a a represents the bodv-frame, within which y the bedding is contained. c represents the head-board, hinged in its lower end to the end of the body-frame a, as shown; and d represents the foot-board, hinged in a similar manner in its lower end to the opposite end of the body-frame, by which arrangement said head and foot boards can be folded down upon the bedding, as shown in Figs. 2 'and 3.`

The folding sides are each composed of two parts, c and f, hinged together at g g, as shown;

and the lower part f is furthermore hinged, at h h, to the top of the body-frame, by which arrangement the sides of the crib can be folded outward to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, when the crib is not required for use, with'- out occupying more height than the depth of the body-frame a. For this reason it-is obviousthat each of the parts e and j' shall not be wider than the height of the body-frame a. i i represent suitable locks or fastenings, by which the sides are secured to the head and foot boards when the crib is to be used. k k represent the folding legs or supports, that are hinged in their upper ends to the bodyframe a. These legs are held in vertical position by bolts Z Z, which are pivoted to the under edges of end rail a, and swing outwardly to bring th'eir ends against the sides of the legs. At the middle of the under edge of this end rail is also pivoted a lock or button, m, which swings outward to hold the legs in their folded position, as shown in Fig. 3.

I am aware of the patent granted to F. M. Kibbey for folding bedsteads, on the 29th of February, 1876, No. 174,257, and I wish to state that I do not claim, broadly, the inwardfolding head and foot boards, or outward-folding single sides, or anything as set forth and shown in said patent.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction7 and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and claim- 1. The folding crib, consisting of the body, provided with the legs 7c, pivoted to the outer faces of the head and foot rails, and folding inwardly Within tht length and height thereof, the double-hinged side boards, foldingwithin the height of the side rails, and the head 'and foot boards, folding inwardly within the WILLIAM GAnRIsoNREED. Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDRN, HENRY CHALBOURN. 

